Hey I've been playing tuba for my High School band for two years and last year my teacher put me into the wind ensemble. I'm really self concience about my playing, even though my band director told me I'm very talented. I can play up to an F on the staff. But this year I'm the section leader for my school's MArching Band and I'm playing sousaphone and I really want to be more confident and some parts in my music are as high as the trombine part. I was wondering if anybody had any tips on how to play in the upper register.
One thing to remember when your playing high is DO NOT clench up and close your throat/teeth. Remember to push your air, and put your tongue closer to the roof of your mouth. This directs your air stream into a smaller space making it move faster which makes it easier to play high with a clean open sound.
I think maybe trutlepower had a slight misconception. I would encourage the use of vowel shapes in which case you would make more of a "eeee" vowel shape which is supposed help with the higher notes and that would place the rear part of the tongue up closer to the roof of the mouth.
I should look it up, I don't know where I filed it but I was talking with my tuba playing friend in the NAVY Band. And we had read or heard a lecture about embouchres. And there was actualy a mathmatical formula presented where the lecturer said there is a percentage of air presure vs lip tension. I don't agree with it but it was interesting. I'll post it if
I find it.
I have a playing test in two days and I could not hit anything above a G without "gurgling". But guess that was cause I was playing while doing the smiley thing.
